Duality
by GrimGrave
Summary: They were on opposite sides of the Law; one an officer of virtue, the other a criminal gentlewoman with a heart of gold. Their attraction to each other, however, is the one thing they have in common – the one thing that defines their relationship of cat and mouse. Rated M for strong adults themes and violence. NotSafeForWork. Contains Futanari(woman with male genitalia)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: RWBY and all characters associated belong to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth, not GrimGrave.**

_Commission Slots Open: 2_

_Commissioned by Rashaan Butler, who has the patience of a saint._

_Read this under the premise that Grimm doesn't exist._

**Duality**

_Chapter 1 - The Law and the Rogue_

_Harmony; the world of Remnant was united by it. The world was a better place because of it. The four kingdoms were now living in an age of peace and cooperation after a long history of war and broken alliances, but everything is far from perfect even in this day and age._

_The four kingdoms still had their own ideologies and beliefs, their own police and military, and their own ways of handling things, specifically anything criminal. These would often clash and cause unneeded dispute about who had more authority over what. This is where a certain police-force, unified and sworn to Remnant as a whole and unaffiliated to no one single kingdom alone, would step in._

_The R.I.P (Remnant International Police), an international police-force tasked to handle nearly any and all assignments across Remnant, ranging from apprehension of petty thieves and criminal mastermind kingpins to rescue-missions and protection-escort duties. R.I.P was as fancy and respected as one could get in the hierarchy of police/military and their reputation was unblemished as it could be._

_But even amongst R.I.P was an outstanding agent, known as the force's most decorated officers; __**Ruby Rose**__, codename: __**Scatter**__. Starting from a young age, Ruby showed great promise when it came to fighting and was considered as Huntress-material, although she was by no means a prodigy; she had her quirks and faults, strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else. But her knack for leadership as well as fighting had earned her access to Beacon Huntsman Academy, (Vale Kingdom's advanced combat-school for individuals seeking to train in evolved combat, involving Semblance and Aura, where graduated Huntsmen and Huntresses served as special forces), at the age of 15, a whole two years earlier than the required age. Upon graduation she had been offered to join the program for R.I.P and after a full year had earned herself quite the reputation._

_Steadfastly loyal to R.I.P and optimistic with a heart of gold, Ruby was not naïve; hardened from the field and having encountered people from all walks of life, the young sniper was not blind. She knew of certain injustices that happened under the kingdom's watch. This knowledge served as a reminder and reason as to why she remained loyal to R.I.P and does as well as she can; because the kingdoms are not perfect and the Law needs an unbiased, unified front to support the countries where they fall short._

_It was also in her nature to help people._

_Her dedication had led to a remarkable record; having solved many a case for just about any crime and delivering many a perpetrator to justice, Ruby was a maven and a credit to the force._

_But her record was not perfect. All of her targets had been captured except one; the ever-elusive Lady-Thief __**Emerald Sustrai**__ of the infamous Sustrai family of Gentle(wo)men Thieves, also known as the "Mirage-Mistress" or "The Illusionist."_

_Theirs was a relationship of duality of opposites; Ruby, an officer, and Emerald, a thief. One upheld the Law and peace while the other caused mischief and worked in the shadows. Their rivalry was as fierce as it was intimate as far as two people working on opposite sides of the Law could be; there was a mutual respect and admiration between them, masqueraded as witty, flirty banter while they fought each other._

_Tonight was just another night._

The Mistralian Institution, one of Remnants largest museum complex with over 20 galleries and millions of objects spanning in detail Mistral's story as well as ancient findings from around the world, was a hot-spot for theft, but luckily the complex employed security from Atlas. No ordinary burglar could even set foot within the area.

But Emerald Sustrai was no ordinary burglar.

The usually silence of the complex was disturbed by gunfire and rapid footsteps reverberating throughout the halls. The bullets ricocheting and of course missing their mark as the pair battled through the moonlight lit chambers was partly deliberate; neither wished serious harm upon the other even if they knew both were active Aura users. The shots were meant to slow down, disarm, or incapacitate the other.

As they found themselves in a deadlock, weapons trained on the other with the moonlight illuminating a perfect circle of the room, the two took a moment to catch their breaths, gazes firmly locked.

"Don't think I'll let you leave with the artifact this time, Emmy," Ruby confidently said, her face a complete mask of stoicism.

"`Let me´ ?" Emerald snorted. "Ruby, dear, you've never `let´ me escape, we both know that. We've been over this; I'm a mastermind. I already have five possible escape routes mapped out from where I'm standing."

"_Only_ five?" Ruby snickered. "Sounds to me like you've gotten rusty."

"Then what does that say about you who still have trouble keeping up, let alone catching me?" The Lady-Thief stuck out her tongue.

"Cheeky."

"As if you would have me any other way."

The pair eyed each other and exchanged knowing smiles as they dared the other to make the first move.

Ruby pulled the trigger and the bullet hit Emerald's revolver and knocked it out of her grip. As she held the artifact with her other hand, Ruby used her Semblance and tackled the perpetrator to the ground to pin her down.

"Hah! I got you now, Mirage Mistress! Looks like you really are getting—" The mocha-skinned woman underneath vanished before the officer's eyes, revealing only a broken vase in her place. "…rusty?"

"_You missed me, you missed me~"_ The sniper whipped her head to the direction of that wonderful voice. The Lady-Thief was leaning against the wall at the other side of the chamber and glancing back over at her. "I suppose now you've got to kiss me?" She chuckled. "Honestly though; how did you not see that coming?"

The sniper blushed at the remark, but quickly shook it off. "Your Semblance is so broken and OP, I swear."

"Nah, you just need to get on my level." Emerald blew her a raspberry. "Try again—" Another shot hit barely an inch from the woman's head and she yelped as she vaulted out of the way. "Whoa! Aiming for headshots now are we?"

"Your Aura is not depleted; that shot would've incapacitated you at best," Ruby replied slyly. "Or is there something you're not telling me?"

Emerald laughed. The sound was airily and wonderful. "Even if that was the case with my Aura, you wouldn't be able to hit me. Am I standing in front of you or am I behind you? Mysteries, mysteries…"

Ruby giggled. "God I hate your Semblance, Emmy."

A chuckle. "I was born with a gift, what can I say?"

The redhead got up, her gaze steely and intense with confidence. "I'll get you someday. Mark my words."

The mocha-skinned woman smirked back at her. "I bet you will, officer. Until then…" She blew her a kiss and stepped forward with a sealed envelope in her hand. She waved it to get the sniper's attention before tossing it to the floor in front of Ruby…and stood there. "See you next time."

Ruby grabbed a piece of the vase she had broken and tossed it at her elusive target and the illusion was dispelled. By the time the piece clattered against the floor the window to the left shut close.

She hurried over and opened it, but the Mirage Mistress had already disappeared into the night.

"Gone again…" Ruby shook her head and chuckled. Her heart was beating wildly beneath her breast. "What a woman."

She stared out into the darkness and the lights of the city beyond.

"I wish I could've gotten a good look at her butt."

It was always bittersweet whenever they met. Emerald always got away with whatever she had targeted, but there was one thing that separated the Lady-Thief from the rest of the criminals; she only ever stole from other criminals. Specifically, Emerald targeted high-class criminals the law declared `untouchable´ or did not have enough evidence against. The wealth she earned went to the people who suffered under their yoke and in a way, tipped the scales in favour of justice.

Ruby was aware of this and while it had not made much sense to her at the beginning, she knew that this world needed rogues like Emerald Sustrai.

Ruby smiled a silly smile. She could not wait until their next encounter.

* * *

Emerald ran across the rooftops of the city, the museum now a good distance away. With the dark of night as her ally, the infamous Lady-Thief slipped away as she always did. With her "OP Semblance" she blended right in with what little people were still out. Intense training had allowed her to use it on multiple minds if needed (though one could argue if the heavy migraine that came after was worth it) and just like that she was like a shadow in the dark.

She smiled to herself as she made her way through Mistral's alleyways. Having once again secured valuables that didn't belong in stuffy, dreary museums and using their wealth to help the needy was one thing, but every encounter with the prodigy of the R.I.P always lifted her spirits.

Ruby Rose; the cute and stalwart officer. Growing up, Emerald had always despised the kingdoms' authorities with their hypocrisy and inaction. All the talk about justice and laws seemed to only go so far before they allowed the innocent to suffer and criminals to go free.

And then there was Ruby.

What a woman. The level of respect Emerald had for that woman was beyond comparison. Ruby was one of the few officers of the Law who recognise that the most dangerous and despicable criminals of Remnant don't always make their home in underground caves and barren neighbourhoods. She knew that criminals could work their way up, hide amongst the normal folk and get away with their shady dealings – she knew how corrupt the kingdoms were and understood Emerald better than anyone.

The Illusionist chuckled. Ruby Rose was the only woman on Remnant who could keep up with her in wits, combat, and beauty.

Especially beauty; heavens above, the sniper was sex-on-legs. She pulled off the Sexy-Cute look with ease. The Lady-Thief had spied on said sniper in her home several times (purely for intel about her rival, obviously) and seen what the officer had to offer; an athlete's body with noticeable musculature from years of Huntsman Academy training and from handling a crazy weapon like hers; a thin layer of feminine curves blended with toned abs, thighs, and biceps harmonized into the perfection that was Ruby, coupled with softer aspects from habits of having a sweet-tooth.

Not to mention her special "characteristic"; the tight, round curves of her breasts and hips, combined with Ruby's cock – a hermaphroditic trait which wasn't too rare nowadays, good thing the redhead had opted to masturbate that time – only added to the attraction Emerald had gathered over the time they had become rivals. It was enough to force the thief to change her underwear far too often for her liking and had on at least one occasion driven the Mirage Mistress crazy to the point she had masturbated outside her window thanks to her nifty Semblance.

Unfortunately that was as close as they could ever get. Due to their stations in life they were destined to remain in conflict; a duality of good and evil at least by the rules of society.

She would not be able to act upon her emotions or attraction, but this kind of relationship was bittersweet, but better than nothing. At least this way she was part of the redheaded officer's life.

Emerald frowned as she made her way to the underground tunnel leading to the harbour. For all her good intentions, the way she did her family's `business´ was through shady means and as such she was a criminal like any other in the eyes of the Law. Ruby, an officer, had to bring her in.

Being the good intelligent officer that she was however, the redhead knew the way Emerald worked; the Lady-Thief only ever targeted shady people herself and would always walk away with whatever she had pilfered. In the process she always left behind some `compensation´ for her rival: evidence.

Evidence that would lead to the arrest of Emerald's victim; that way neither Emerald nor Ruby would walk away empty-handed and do their parts for the sake of society. It was a neat unofficial agreement between them. After all, Emerald always did her homework on her targets; whatever intel that existed of them was hers to collect and surely she didn't need all of it…so why not throw it away and if _someone_ happened to pick it up it was not her business.

Emerald exited the tunnel into a hallway and then into a busy nightclub, provided by fellow rogues and outlaws. Avoiding the crowd she met the gaze of the owner and bartender with his two twin bouncers and nodded curtly before heading out. She had a ship back to Vale waiting for her.

* * *

Ruby stepped out to a gathering of local Mistral police officers and a few R.I.P agents, as well as the useless museum security guards. She winced at the flashing bright lights as a familiar face jogged up to her.

The woman brushed her black-ash hair aside and straightened the collar of her dark-grey coat. "She escaped you yet again, huh?"

"Lieutenant Calavera." Ruby straightened herself and quickly saluted the older woman. "Yes, the Lady-Thief managed to get away with the artifact…"

Lieutenant Calavera – a young woman in her prime and veteran of R.I.P, as well as Ruby's mentor-figure –saluted back. "I see. I cannot blame you; the Illusionist is a crafty one. It's like she's two steps ahead of us at all times."

Ruby could not agree more with that statement.

"For what it's worth, you did well. A shame about the artifact, but there's always next time." The lieutenant offered a reassuring smile. "We need to bounce back or else there's no point in continuing; that goes for everything in life. Her Semblance may give her an edge, but she's not invincible. We need to step up our game, too."

Ruby smiled at the older woman. The mentor-figure always had wisdom to share and the patience of a saint. Had this been anyone else, they would have chewed the sniper out. Maybe. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

As more people gathered the sniper noticed a certain woman with shoulder-long black hair, clad in a fancy crimson dress as if she had arrived from a party stand out from the crowd. Her amber eyes met Ruby's and glared daggers before looking away.

"Lieutenant Calavera, who is that woman? The one in red."

"Hm?" Maria glanced over. "Oh, that's Miss Cinder Fall, the director of the Mistralian Institution."

"Huh. I thought she looked familiar. Could you do me a favour and keep an eye on her for a little while? I suspect we will pay her a visit in the near future."

"You got it, but don't expect me to do anything until you can give me a good reason," the older woman replied and winked. "Rumours about her are not enough for us to act unless we can back them up."

"Don't worry Lieutenant, I think that can be arranged. Think you can give me a lift back to HQ?"

**x.x.x.x**

Once back at the immense R.I.P headquarters, Ruby had gone through the contents of the envelope Emerald had left her. She had given them a quick scan before leaving the museum, but now she was sure of it; there was more to Cinder Fall than rumours. All the information traced back to the director: smuggling and selling of artifacts and art (including the famous painting `The Four Maidens´ painted by Ozma Pine about a few hundred years ago) as well as other shady dealings and more importantly, _names_; several of which, under pressure, had spilled the beans and taken into custody.

The Black father-son duo was highest on the list and was known assassins and thieves. They had been last sighted around the outskirts of Vale and a team had been dispatched immediately.

Next was a Faunus named Tukson; also stationed in Vale, this shady dealer apparently ran a small underground black market and was currently in custody and interrogated. According to officers Nebula – codename: Vapour— and Ciel – codename: Chrono – (lovely gals, really, especially the latter in terms of appearance), all three had eventually "generously told them everything."

The decorated officer peeked at the clock and yawned. It was practically morning already, but there was no time to rest.

Ruby smiled to herself and arched back into her chair with a tired sigh.

"Scatter." The silver-eyed girl turned to the fellow sniper by the doorway (when had it opened?) with her beanie covering her left eye as per usual. "We're ready to move out when you are."

"Of course, Deadeye," the crimsonette replied. "Let's do this."

All that was left was to confront Miss Fall.

**x.x.x.x**

"Think she's awake?"

Maria shrugged her shoulders. The small aircraft she piloted made a low humming sound as it prepared to land, still a good couple of feet above ground. "It matters not. With your newfound evidence she'll be under arrest one way or another. Speaking of, how did you even come across them?"

"Oh, uhm…I've been digging around. Clues popped up here and there, you connect the dots, and bam; I traced them back to Cinder. I've been working on this on the side whenever I could and it finally paid off."

The Lieutenant briefly eyed her. "Impressive, girl. You make the R.I.P proud with that level of diligence. Not to mention your good eye."

Ruby giggled, albeit nervous. It was not a lie – she had a habit of multitasking cases whenever she could afford the time to do so – but the evidence left behind by Emerald had confirmed the rumours regarding the director; she had been on various authorities' lists for a long time, but there had never been anything substantial to warrant her arrest. It was like catching smoke with your bare hands with the way she continuously slipped through the authorities' fingers.

Until now.

**x.x.x.x**

"There has to be some kind of mistake." the director nonchalantly said. She played with black tresses and curled them around her finger as she stared, bored, at the officers. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Ruby glance over at her two fellow agents and back at Cinder. "Oh, but I think you do," she replied. "After all, both Marcus and Mercury Black have confessed about your dealings with them; smuggling, theft, the list goes on."

The director cocked an eyebrow seemingly unfazed, but body-language tells you more than anything else. The subtle fidgeting with her fingers, the shift in stance, it all betrayed the mask she wore.

"We've also got a confession out of Mr. Tukson. You remember him, don't you? You pretty much orchestrated the whole thing with them doing the dirty work. Do I need to go on? We have—"

"_She's got a weapon!"_

It was a split-second decision. Ruby narrowly avoided being slashed across her face as she vaulted backwards. The other agents had opened fire against Cinder, but the director deflected the bullets with ease. Where had she concealed a pair of swords and how on Remnant had she managed to unsheathe them before anyone noticed?

Ruby's finger's traced across her weapon behind her back and it clicked and hummed as the machine changed shape—

"Stay at range, Scatter!" her lieutenant commanded. Ruby frowned, but knew better than to question the older woman.

Cinder was a flurry of blades and fire. She practically danced chaotically as she fended off against officer Nebula and Lieutenant Calavera; the older agent was famous within R.I.P, but she struggled to get the edge over the director as the latter swung in wide arcs in quick succession. She vaulted and slashed in crescent arcs, fending off the Lieutenant's scythes with one sword and officer Nebula's bayonet with the other without even blinking.

The director was clearly not an ordinary civilian when she could handle a lieutenant and an officer of R.I.P; she dodged their strikes with the gracious movement of a dancer, not one step out of place, with deadly agility that's put some officer's to shame. The director vaulted and spun mid-air, a whirl of steel and heat. It was as if she was on fire and her swings ignited in the air, scattering sharp flames and embers as protection; it was difficult to approach her.

And even more difficult to avoid. Calavera shimmied around the director and met strike with strike, but the wild fire was unpredictable and a clean cut of embers struck the lieutenant's eyes.

The scream that followed was heart-rending.

"_Lieutenant!"_

A loud, shattering noise broke the fight as one of Cinder's swords fell to the ground in pieces and the woman staggered backwards in shock. Before she had time to catch herself Ruby propelled forward in a torrent of rose petals and tackled the woman.

Over the years at Beacon Academy and in R.I.P, the young redhead had been told time and again that she relied too much on her weapon; that she needed to improve her hand-to-hand combat as well. With help from Yang and Arslan of R.I.P, Ruby had improved significantly.

The director crashed into the wall and dropped her other weapon in the process. Ruby, quick on her feet, kneed the brunette's abdomen and with a slight burst of her Semblance threw the director over her shoulder and used her own weight against her.

Ruby wrestled the woman over to her stomach and swiftly pinned her down with arms twisted behind her back. Her gaze trained on the brunette's hands as cogs began to turn. "Target secured! Requesting Aura-nullification cuffs asap!"

"On it!" Officer Nebula was immediately at her side, cuffs at the ready.

"Get off me! Get off me!" The director shouted and thrashed. "Unhand me at once!"

She kept screaming at the top of her lunges as she writhed and thrashed against her binds. Resistance, assault on agents, on top of all her other crimes did not bode well for the brunette, but that was not Ruby's concern. She rushed over to the lieutenant, the older woman clutching her eyes and wailing.

"Lieutenant! Are you alright?!"

"Her aura is still active, but pure embers in her eyes must've been a shock to her system," Nebula shouted. "I'm calling for a medic right away!"

The older woman fumed. "Aura or not, it hurts! I can't see!"

"Medic is on their way, don't worry," Ruby comforted. She gave Calavera's hand a gentle squeeze. "Your Aura may heal you, but the medics will take a look at your eyes just to be sure." The lieutenant seemed to calm down at that, but from the looks of it her eyes had taken a nasty hit. Ruby glared sideways at the director, her mind a whirl.

There were more people like Cinder Fall out there. She could not help but to wonder how many, and just how far the underground network expanded.

But at least for now, she could finally take a breather and rest up.

"Good work, Deadeye," she spoke into the comdevice and glanced at the direction the fellow sniper was likely hiding. A chuckle at the other end confirmed as much and the redhead rolled her shoulders.

She would go straight to bed when she got home.

**x.x.x.x**

Emerald slumped into her sofa and sighed. It had been a long night and she could go for a cold beer right about now. Avoiding detection and slipping by the authorities all the way back to Vale was taxing, but it had been worth it. Not only did she have the artifact in her possession and ready to be sold for a hefty sum to the right people, but being able to spend time with t_he_ Ruby Rose? Priceless.

That little redhead sure was a cutie; a sexy cutie if you will.

Emerald snickered. "I wonder if she has looked at the evidence yet." She got up and walked into the kitchen for aforementioned beverage. "I guess I'll hear it on the news."

Back on the sofa with demon drink in her hand, the mocha-skinned woman took a swig. Tonight had been fun; who would have thought the prodigy agent would open fire in a museum of all places? How reckless. Emerald liked that.

"Poor little Rose, unable to catch me yet again despite the good effort." The Lady-Thief chuckled. "Well…maybe not `little´ now that I think about it."

The Lady-Thief had a bit of mild obsession with the prodigy officer; she enjoyed the attention the latter was giving her and when she could, she would seek her out. Having spied on Ruby a few times, Emerald knew just what kind of gun she was packing between her legs; 7.75 inches in length and 6.5 inches in circumference, thanks to the thief's perceptive eyes.

That was 7.75 inches of rigid flesh that could probably reach a woman's cervix and utterly pummel it to mind-shattering orgasms. 6.5 inches in circumference that would strain a pussy so much and stretch it so unbelievably—

Emerald downed the last of the beer and tossed the can aside whilst her other hand fumbled with her pants. Not bothering to take anything off, the thief dived right in there, past the tuft of hair above her slit and touching herself to the thought of Ruby and her `baton´; imagining the officer taking her from behind, maybe utilize her flowery Semblance and just go wild until the thief howled her name.

She shuddered as heat spread through her body. "Fuck, Ruby…!"

She could get some rest later.

**x.x.x.x**

"I'm home~" Ruby called out, expecting no answer. There was no roommate to greet her or a pet to welcome her back – as an agent she could be gone for days at a time on short notices – as she stumbled inside her apartment. It was large for belonging to just one person with all the necessities and more plus some unnecessary luxuries thanks to having a well-paid job.

She kicked off her shoes and hung up her cloak as she rolled her shoulders and fatigue caught up. It was early morning by now. Ruby had been given permission to take the week off to rest and rest she would, but…

Mental images of the Lady-Thief flashed before her. The laptop that had unfortunately been left on was still humming softly and a sneaky suspicion of the agent's last `activities´ gnawed at the back of Ruby's mind.

As the screen came to life silver eyes widened. "Oh yeah; I was in the middle of something."

Porn sites: several tabs of porn sites with specific videos. (She was only human after all. And lonely.) Having been forced to cancel her alone-time and chasing the Illusionist around all night and the whole investigation of Cinder had left the redhead pent up and energetic despite the bed calling for her.

She eyed the tabs and her mind ran wild. The fatigue seeped away as her heartbeat jumped up. She smiled giddily and took off her overbust corset and skirt as she got herself seated and comfortable. Her dick throbbed, rising to attention as she spread her legs a bit and caressed its base.

Her mind wandered as she eyed the tabs. She was a decorated R.I.P agent, a prodigy and credit to the force, but she had one weakness.

Emerald Sustrai was many things; a thief, a thorn in the sniper's side, a master escape artist, but above all else she was a woman with unmatched sex-appeal. Her dark skin, mint-green hair, crimson eyes that winked and stared with such playful wanton, and her rear…

Heavens above, Emerald's butt! Ruby had a strong fondness (as well as weakness) to exotic women and Emerald was as exotic as they come. She had firm, nicely-shaped butt and it certainly appealed to the redhead, being the centre of the sniper-agent's jerk-off material more often than not. And it didn't stop there.

Ruby's mind kept wandering as she searched through the tabs. Her fondness for exotic, dark-skinned women extended to her job; fellow agent Ciel Soleil, as meticulous as she regimented, had a cute body and the fantasy of her secretly being lewd had often crossed the redhead's mind.

Arslan Altan, the "Drill-Sergeant" and CQC trainer was a hot woman. The blonde had muscles and abs for days and the thought of her riding Ruby in the Amazon position had often made short work of the sniper's alone-time.

Ruby eyed the videos appearing on screen. There was a new pornstar rising that had caught her attention; the Sensual "Tiger-Mom" Sienna Khan, a Faunus woman so exotic and practically oozing sexual tension and her tattooed tiger stipes only added to her appeal.

And yet none of them could hold a candle to Emerald Sustrai. Ruby could envision that smirk she gave her, the way her body has the right amount of slim and litheness of a master thief combined with the right feminine curves. And her ass: curvy, heart-shaped perfection – her butt bouncing as she rode Ruby like a bucking bronco in the latter's mind.

"Ooohh…Emmy…" She huskily uttered as she pumped her cock. She could rest later.

* * *

Emerald woke up the next day less than cheery. Why dreams either escaped her by the time she regained consciousness or seemed real (oh how she wished Ruby sitting on top of her bed had been real, alas, the rosy succubus slipped through the thief's grip) was beyond her ken, but at least she had a day to kick back and relax before planning the next heist. That usually took time and required every ounce of Emerald's analytic mind; pathways in and out, emergency escape routes, countermeasures for every possible scenario, the best time to strike, etc. Not to mention secure a way back to Vale if the target was outside the kingdom.

And so it happened that Atlas was her next destination. Nearly a year's worth of investigation based on rumours and seemingly dead ends had led Emerald to two interesting pieces of information; a priceless artifact was said to be somewhere in Atlas' main city, and the research centre had some equally valuable technology that could benefit the lower city. Two birds, one stone.

The second piece of intel were the rumours about the person in possession of the technology; a renowned scientist named _Arthur Watts_. While it was no secret that Atlas' population was heavily divided, the rumour about Arthur Watts was as shady as it could be; the man had connections, however loose, to Cinder Fall and a man named Roman Torchwick, the latter whom had his own rumours. If those were true…

"I could always take a slight detour," Emerald thought out loud. "Just to confirm something. That's all."

There were all kinds of gossips regarding Atlas and certain individuals, but this one in particular had the Lady Thief's attention. Perhaps she would get ready and depart tonight; she needed a temporary hideout while there, map out the city and the like. The sooner the better.

* * *

They say that Huntsmen and Huntresses develop a heightened sixth sense that goes beyond normal perception. Ruby, stepping outside her apartment, knew something was up, but not what or why. Upon arrival at the R.I.P's headquarters there was something in the air; a tension, thick enough to be cut with a knife. The atmosphere inside was eerie despite everything seemingly being no different from usual. Just what was it…?

"Rose!" Another fellow agent, a cute redhead named Octavia, was walking over to her. "There you are! The Lieutenant is looking for you."

"The Lieutenant is? How is she feeling?"

"Better," Octavia replied. "She was lucky it wasn't too severe; she could've lost her eyes. Anyway, she told me it was urgent so you should go see her right away."

"Of course! Thank you!" Ruby jogged past her co-worker. Could this urgent business be the tension she had felt so far? Something was about to go down; she'd stake her life on it.

Ruby didn't bother to knock on the door. She stepped inside, happy to see the Lieutenant relatively unharmed, but the tension in the air sucked the joy out of her.

"You wished to see me, Lieutenant?"

"Have a seat, Rose," the older woman told her. She sighed, her silver eyes slightly bloodshot. "I'll cut to the chase; we have uncovered something disturbing." She paused for a moment. "Actually, let me ask you something; how much do you know about the missing person cases?"

Ruby shot her a puzzled look. "I remember that there were reports about people gone missing, mostly in Atlas and Argus, but the police haven't found any of them nor are there any leads. The victims are almost all Faunus."

Calavera nodded. "Correct. Whoever the culprit is, they've covered their tracks very thoroughly. We haven't had any leads to go on…until now."

Ruby's eyes widened. "We do?"

"It's not much," the Lieutenant began. "But we searched through Cinder's house and managed to get a name; _Roman Torchwick_. It would seem that he had connections to Cinder that alludes to trafficking."

"This is great!" Ruby exclaimed. "Then what are we waiting for? A name is a start and should make our search—"

"We already located him. It wasn't easy; he was a known criminal master-mind and as cunning as a weasel. He has evaded local authorities across Remnant and R.I.P for years."

"_`Was´,_ Lieutenant…?"

The older woman shook her head. "By the time we stormed his hideout, he was already dead; multiple bullet-wounds to the shoulders, kneecaps, and a slit throat. Whoever found him clearly held a grudge."

Ruby hung her head and sighed. "Oh…So much for a lead…What do we do now, then?"

"You'll be going to Atlas to investigate a man called Arthur Watts. He's a famous scientist, but his name did pop up when we searched through Cinder's house. We don't know the connection, but since there's a connection between Torchwick and Cinder, seeing his name as well does not bode well. And while you're there you can check in on Deadeye, Shocker, and Ardent over at Torchwick's hideout."

The redhead beamed at that. "Of course! When can I leave?"

Her Lieutenant chuckled. "Tonight, preferably."

* * *

Trips to Atlas always were a bit of a hassle, even with the fastest airships. The country was a good distance away from Vale and their borders were heavily guarded. But it was the suspense of what was waiting for her drove Ruby insane; she was jittery with excitement for following up an unsolved case, but many questions bothered her still.

Who were behind the kidnapping and trafficking? How was Torchwick involved and how was he connected to Cinder and who found him? Why kill him? Calavera had said they would interrogate Cinder while the sniper was away, but who's to say she will cooperate? A man like Torchwick couldn't have survived this long if his associates were willing to rat him out.

Even as she had arrived at his hideout, a somber place that made graveyards seem like a warm welcome by comparison, she was giddy at the prospect finishing an unsolved case. Unfortunately-

"We haven't managed to find much," Shocker – real name: Nolan Portfirio – stated, less than happy. "Say what you will about him, but the man knew how to cover his tracks. All we know that whoever got to him first didn't break their way in."

"No sign of forced entry at all?"

Nolan nodded. "Exactly. Either it was someone Torchwick trusted or someone managed to follow him inside undetected."

Ruby tapped her chin, locked in thought. She scanned the room. "Have you checked his computer?"

"Trying to hack into it as we speak," Ardent – real name: Reese Chloris – replied without as much looking up.

"Good. Maybe we'll find something there. Make sure to look for an email account; he must've contacted his associates somehow. Do we have his Scroll?"

"We're currently looking for it," May said behind her. "He didn't have it on his person, but it stands to reason that he would have at least a disposable one on hand."

Ruby nodded. There had to be a slip-up, a message that wasn't deleted or a call-ID, anything that the mastermind had left behind before his demise. "Very well. Contact me as soon as you find anything. We only have a name: Arthur Watts. I've been tasked to investigate him and his lab is the first place to go to." She turned on her heel-

"Why the lab first, Scatter?" Nolan asked.

"He's known to live just above it; a real workaholic." She flashed a smile. "If he's involved, the lab surely has the answer, given his profession. Can I count on you guys for backup?"

May and Nolan merely gave her a thumb up and Reese looked up. "I'll join you as soon as I'm able."

With a nod, Ruby headed out in advance. The sun was setting.

* * *

The laboratory was closely connected to Atlas academy, as was its military-base; Ruby had heard from Weiss that it was all merged into one, but the size of the area was staggering nonetheless.

The sky was on the verge of turning dark when Ruby arrived at the laboratory. With a flash of her R.I.P she was allowed access as she was "checking a potential security risk." It was mostly empty and thankfully she located Dr. Watts' quarters fairly easy. It was strange that such a brilliant mind –the man had greatly contributed to Dust science and the medical field alike – had a connection to someone like Cinder and Torchwick. Just _what_ was it though?

Most of the staff was gone as night arrived, save for some personnel that were working in the other wings. She could head up to the second floor where the Doctor were said to live, but a quick scan through his lab was needed the sniper surmised. Thankfully May had taught her how to open locked doors (wouldn't do good to just blow it up with Crescent Rose, now would it?) and with minor effort it clicked open.

It was empty and dark. Ruby quickly scanned the room as she fumbled to find the switch and the room illuminated-

"Hey now, I just turned it off."

"Emerald?!" Ruby startled and recoiled as she swung her weapon around to aim at the Lady-Thief. Her poor confused heart didn't know whether to be shocked or positively surprised to see her. "What are you doing out here?!"

"That would be _my_ line, I believe," the thief stated and chuckled in that husky tone that made the redhead's knees weak. "Not that I complain. I so enjoy your puzzled face. Perhaps we're destined to run into each other, hmm?"

Now that was a thought Ruby could get behind.

"I just happened to have business here," Emerald continued as she idly twirled her weapons around her fingers, unfazed. "Killed two birds with one stone, one might say. Now that I think about it, I should've known you would arrive, though I certainly didn't expect you to be here for ."

Ruby was puzzled. What did she mean by that? Was she expected to be elsewhere? But Arthur Watts was the only one connected to—

Dots were connected. Ruby's eyes widened and she uttered her suspicions; "_You_ killed Roman Torchwick."

The Mirage Mistress nodded at her. "I did."

"Why?"

"I had my reasons." Nonchalant. Not even a hint of remorse.

"It was a pretty gruesome death for something so vague."

"_Personal_ reasons." She scrutinized the sniper. "No, I'm not telling you; not now anyway."

"Don't worry; we got all the time to talk at R.I.P." She flashed the thief a toothy smile. "I'm bringing you in, one way or another."

"Personally escorted by Ruby Rose?" Emerald smirked at her. "Not gonna lie, that's really tempting, especially if cuffs are involved, but I'm afraid today's not working for me. Rain-check?"

"Oh, but I insist! I've booked a table and everything," she replied. God she had missed the thief and their banter.

"Oh my. Next you'll tell me there'll be candles and a dinner, too."

"I'll even bring some cookies if you play nice."

Emerald arched an eyebrow and snickered. "I think you'd like me more if I didn't."

They regarded each other with playful smiles, the gravity of the situation ignored while they enjoyed the moment.

"I'm sorry, Rubes," Emerald then said apologetically. "But I have somewhere else to be. I got what I came for." She patted the bag hanging by her side. "I'm sorry I can't stay and chat, as lovely as it is."

But then it happened too fast in such a short period of time; the sound of rapid footsteps, the door creaking back open, the flutter of a coat and a startled gasp. Ruby caught the man from the corner of her eye and that split-second of distraction was all Emerald needed. The thief was gone, vanished into thin air.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Dr. Watts shouted. The man was pale as a ghost. "Who are you? What are you doing in my lab?!"

She scowled at him. "I'm Ruby Rose, federal agent of the R.I.P. I'm here to investigate."

"This is ridiculous! What could you possible need to investigate here?!"

"Step away from the door, Dr. Watts."

"Preposterous! Have you any idea who I am?!" He wouldn't budge. The man, for all his achievements, was prideful to stubborn degree. "I will call the authorities—

"No need!" a chirpy voice said from behind, revealed to be a certain green-haired agent, her dual guns firmly aimed at the Doctor. "We are the highest authority on Remnant, after all. Now put your hands behind your back."

"I will do no such thing! I will speak to your superior—"

"She'll be happy to tell you that we found emails and text-messages connecting you to Cinder Fall and Roman Torchwick." Reese turned towards Ruby and winked. "You might want to take a look at them, Ruby."

"T-This is preposterous! I'm the most brilliant mind in Atlas! Do you know the consequences—"

"You're also the man who has committed a grave crime. One would think such a brilliant mind would know better or at the very least know of the consequences," Ruby interrupted. "Take him away, Reese. I still need take a look around."

"You brats are wasting your time." The doctor sneered even as he was handcuffed. "I have wealthy, powerful friends in high places. I'll be out before you know it."

He was removed from the scene and taken into R.I.P's custody. Ruby remained in his lab, pouring over any all clues she could find.

According to the emails and text-messages, Dr. Watts had met with Cinder Fall on a few occasions and `shipments´ had been brought up a lot and Torchwick had met them both. From what she had deduced so far, Cinder with her connections to the Black Market provided weapons and served as the middle-man, while Watts was the liaison for payments and the shipments. If that referred to trafficking, then how was Watts involved in it? He provided Dust, certainly, but was it technology? But there hadn't been any reports on missing tech.

It had been hours now and it was in the middle of the night. Ruby rubbed her temples, tired and mildly frustrated. It felt like they were so close and yet so far away from the truth. Cinder wouldn't say anything, Torchwick was dead, and Watts was confident he would be bailed out. They were all involved in the trafficking cases, but the question was in what way.

She got up from the chair and arched her back. A good night's rest might help.

Then she spotted it; right there on the floor near one of the tables was a small brown leather bag, similar to what the Lady-Thief had been carrying. Had she left it behind? She usually did leave something for the agent to pick up after all.

Ruby picked it up and opened it. It was a Scroll – worn, but the latest model – with the engraved initials _A.W_ on the side.

She opened it, ready to call Reese to hack it open, but surprisingly there was no protection. Was Emerald behind this? The Scroll was completely open for her and something immediately caught her eye. It looked important enough, but the implications raised a red warning flag.

She opened up the folder. She read everything. Her eyes widened and all the colours on her face were drained. The doctor's words from earlier rang in her head, clear as a bell.

"No…" Ruby shook her head, whimpering. "No, that can't be true!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: RWBY and all characters associated belong to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth, not GrimGrave.**

_And the drama continues! And WOOO, 200 stories!_

**Duality**

_Chapter 2 – Two Sides of Justice_

It was still in the dead of night. Emerald dashed across the rooftops under the cover of shadows, her price secured by her side. She hadn't expected to meet Ruby here of all places, but what a treat that had been.

"`I've booked a table and everything´, geez, Ruby, you romantic dolt," the thief thought out loud. She chuckled to herself. "If the circumstances had been different…"

She smiled at thought. Had Ruby found the present left for her, she wondered. Cracking open the doctor's Scroll had been a cakewalk, but unfortunately the redhead had showed up before the thief had taken a look at the contents herself.

Oh well.

She came to a halt a few rooftops away from the laboratory and hid in the dark. She fished up her Scroll, the device immediately displaying a detailed map. "Mkay. The office is on the western side, top floor…Should be easy enough."

Aside from Torchwick and Dr. Watts' priceless invention, there was a third objective in Atlas that the Sustrai family had kept an eye on for a long time; the Schnee family. It was no secret that the head of the family used Faunus labour for the Dust company – therefore likely had dirt on him – and more than a few artifacts in his possession that was better off elsewhere.

She sneered and closed the Scroll and made her way to the infamous Schnee mansion at the other end of the flying metropolis. The night was still young.

* * *

The Schnee manor was enormous – far too big for the rogue's tastes – and far too flashy. It, along with the academy and military, served as a reminder of the wealthy lording over the poor. It would be a pleasure to rob the man, however small.

The home itself was situated on a peninsula, but the real target was the sectioned-off part that housed the patriarch's office; it almost looked like a tower and of course the office was at the top floor.

Not that it mattered. Emerald snuck over the wall and darted over to the base of the building and started climbing, using her nimbleness and her sickle-guns to scale it. It was a long and mildly infuriating climb, but eventually she reached the office's window; it was recognized due to its fancy framework.

Hugging the wall, Emerald peered inside. Not a soul in sight in the pitch-black room. Good. She'd be in and out and no-one would be any the wiser. Nimbly she pried open the window with her sickle-gun, forcing it open enough for her arm to get through and properly unlock it with a cloth. Couldn't leave fingerprints now could she?

She hopped inside and scanned the room. The office was massive. The moonlight illuminated a good portion of it, but she couldn't risk draw attention to herself if a passer-by noticed the light was on. Luckily the desk was within the moonlight. There wasn't anything on it that looked like what she was after. Figures. She could take the laptop or check the drawers though. The shelves were stocked with items as well. The man likely had a ledger or something to that effect with personal information so she kept an eye out for that. Perhaps there was a safe in the room, hidden or otherwise, or perhaps—

Her train of thought came to an abrupt end. Years of training and honing of her skills had resulted in keen perception; Emerald could feel the attack coming, but there was no-one around her – no-one in the room! – and yet the blow to the back of her head came as a surprise and sent the thief tumbling across the floor.

Her ears were ringing and her vision swam. Everything turned bright as day and stung at her eyes. She shielded them and sensed another attack incoming, but once again she couldn't see the attacker or anticipate how or where it would strike. Emerald clutched at her stomach as she once again fell onto the floor before she had a chance to get up.

"Now this is a poor display, Lady Sustrai." The voice was eerily recognizable; anyone with a radio or TV had heard this man's spiel over and over and it was sickening. "I've heard so many things about you, and this is what it takes to bring you down? Show at least some token resistance."

She glared up at the man – and the group of people that was suddenly around her – and grimaced. There he stood, tall and pompous; looking down on her like he did with everyone else. "Jacques Schnee. What a surprise."

"Indeed," the Schnee patriarch replied. "It's a surprise that the infamous Illusionist is so easily brought to her knees. I expected so much more and took every precaution…for this?"

"Don't get cocky because you got one or two hits in." She got up and eyed the gathering; a bunch of men dressed in black and red and a woman with patchy green scales and a dark-green mohawk. A Faunus? She wore a collar…

"You're right, I shouldn't take credit for something I didn't do. _She_ on the other hand…"

_`She´?´_ Emerald scoured the group. Did he mean the Faunus? She didn't look pleased, like she didn't want to be here.

A sharp pain bloom in her side and Emerald was back on the floor. Cursing, she looked around, but there was no-one close enough to have attacked her.

Before she could utter another word she was what felt like kicked across the face and tumbled across the carpeted floor. Emerald scrambled onto her feet, panic festering at the back of her mind.

And then she saw her; a girl from the look of it, with an umbrella and two-toned hair and heterochromia. She smiled sweetly back at her and waved at the puzzled Lady-Thief.

"You're not the only one with illusions," Jacques stated with a satisfied huff. "This one will keep a close eye on you. I'll be hailed as a hero for bringing you to justice, but you killed this one's partner, Torchwick, so…I can't guarantee you'll live. Shame, really. There's a pretty price on your head, Sustrai."

Emerald shook her head. "Oh you've gotta be fucking kidding me." Another illusion-like Semblance user? She'd love to muse over the odds of running into someone else like that, but something caught her attention. "Wait, how did you know I killed Torchwick?"

"She saw you as you made your escape," Jacques replied. "A real shame; Torchwick was a trusted ally after all. It was bad enough that I had to help hide him from the blasted R.I.P when I was already helping him with funds,_ you_ had to go and ruin this whole thing by killing him off."

Her mind whirled. Cogs began to turn and dots were connected. Emerald staggered. "Wha…Wait, you funded Roman Torchwick? The mastermind behind years of kidnappings, robbery and trafficking?"

"Only enough so he could get what he needed to carry out the operations, mind you." The man stroked his chin in thought. "On second thought, it's probably for the best if you die here. I can always present your body to R.I.P and establish myself as an ally—"

"**You're** the one behind the trafficking cases?! Over all these years?!" Emerald yelled. Her pulse spiked and knuckles turned white from the strain.

The man scoffed at her and adjusted his tie. He wasn't even remotely fazed. "People pay good money for Faunus; test subjects, slaves…" He glanced over at the Faunus woman by his side who glared back. "Pets. Workers die or disappear all the time down at the slums. No-one cares; the police certainly don't. And it's not just here in Atlas; Remnant is full of forgotten people living in the slums, so why not expand? Humans, Faunus, it doesn't matter. The entire operation has helped serving as a backbone for the Schnee Dust Company and ridding the world of the lesser species and other trash."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man was _boasting _about it! No regards to life – no regards to those less fortunate. Not a hint of remorse could be found on him. He had been doing this for years.

_Years,_ since his children were small or perhaps not even born yet.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she shouted. "Just what the actual hell is wrong with you?!"

He simply stared back, unfazed. "Nothing is wrong with me, girl. I'm doing this world a favour is all. But now I have to find people to replace Cinder Fall and Torchwick, thanks to you and the meddling R.I.P! At least Dr. Watts can be bailed out…"

She lost it. Emerald lunged at the man, her weapons changing into sickles as she did and struck him down…and everything shattered like glass. Then there was nothing but a desk before her.

She quickly spun around, but an unseen blow sent her flying across the room again. Just as Emerald tried to get back up another blow against her head sent her crashing back down again. And again.

And there were still all the other goons and the Faunus to account for.

_´Damn it.´_

Damn it. Damn it all! The situation did not look good at all! She couldn't get a read on the midget as blow after blow came from seemingly thin air.

_`I messed up.´_

Emerald gritted her teeth.

_`I messed up badly.´_

"Enough of this. Neo, if you please."

The sound of a sword being pulled out of its sheath was clearly heard and Emerald steeled herself. Dare she make a move? She couldn't see the girl, but if she was lucky she could get the drop on her—

The sound of glass shattering filled the room as glass clattered across the floor. Emerald looked up, a single rose petal drifting past her vision.

A billowing red hood.

Short, black hair gradating to red.

A familiar-looking scythe.

A pair of worried silver eyes and a flurry of rose petals.

"Ruby…?"

Everything was suddenly chaotic. The rosy sleuth was a red bolt of lightning bouncing around the room as men yelped and the midget finally coming into view.

"Who are you?!"

"I'm R.I.P's Ruby Rose, she replied. "And you, Jacques Schnee, are under arrest for the countless kidnappings and trafficking you've orchestrated through Cinder Fall, Arthur Watts, and Roman Torchwick."

"Preposterous! How dare you claim such charges against me?! I'm on the side of Justice, girl!" He pointed past her, towards the thief. "That's the Illusion Master! I've apprehended her for you! R.I.P should be thanking me for—"

"How are you holding up, Emmy?" Ruby asked. "I wonder, what does it say about you if I beat these guys when you couldn't?"

Emerald managed a weak laugh. "Cheeky..."

"As if you would have me any other way." She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Emerald. "I've got your back in this."

She smiled back at her and shook her head as she took the chance to get back up. "Figures that you'd want my backside."

"It's a nice butt, can't blame me." They shared a laugh and poised themselves. The goons got back up as well and surrounded them while the Schnee patriarch gawked at the pair like a deer in headlights.

"Oh for the love of- To hell with it, kill the agent as well!"

Ruby grinned. Crescent Rose hummed mechanically in her hands; it clicked and whirled as the scythe changed shape, retaining its crescent edge but protruded outwards, becoming a curved blade with grip and crossguard. It was the fourth and final adjustment from years of tinkering; a sword-form for easier melee combat.

"Finally."

She launched herself forward in a torrent of rose petals and swung in a wide arc; anyone without an Aura would have been sliced in half, but at least the pair of unfortunate goons would live to see another day as they tumbled into the wall.

Emerald smirked flicked her weapons; one retained its sickle-mode whilst the other became a kusarigama for mid-range attacks. She spun it around and swiped with the kusarigama across the room, taking the remaining goons down as they fell like domino bricks. Cannon fodder weren't a threat.

It was the girl – Neo – and the Faunus.

Speaking of, the midget hurled herself at Emerald, going straight for a kick into her abdomen.

The Mirage Mistress whirled away, changing her kusarigama back to a sickle. As Neo struck nothing, Emerald cut her sickles into the girl's back. Normally that would kill a person, but the girl's Aura was a bit more depleted as she was struck down against the floor.

She took aim at and shot Neo point-blank, but the girl rolled to the side and acrobatically jumped up. Her umbrella acted as a shield she quickly closed it to reveal her sword hidden inside. She launched at her again, thrusting the blade forward and Emerald took the hit this time, the sword scratching across her stomach, and pistol-whipped the shorter girl across the head.

Neo staggered, but Emerald wasn't going to let her catch her breath; she kept up the momentum and punched her in the face. The satisfaction of getting a clean hit on the little shit pumped her adrenaline and she fired a few rounds at point-blank range.

**x.x.x**

Ruby crashed down on the floor, tumbling a few feet away. While Jacques was hiding behind his desk, a Faunus woman was fighting for him. She looked nothing like the friendly sort, even baring her metal, screwed-on teeth in a nasty smile (didn't she remind her of a crocodile?) as she sauntered over.

"Why are you doing this? Why is a Faunus like you working for a human like Jacques?" Ruby hopped back up, sword at the ready.

"I have no choice, luv," the Faunus replied in a certain accent with a scowl. "If I don't do as he says, he'll kill me." She pointed at the metal collar. "And between you and me, I rather live. Nothing personal, luv."

"The collar, huh…" Ruby yelped as her opponent rushed forward and narrowly missing a solid punch. Just a second ago, the Faunus had glowed yellow and no attacks had been effective; she had taken an attack that would've cut anyone else's head clean of without even flinching.

She lunged at her again, but Ruby dashed away. If the opponent was seemingly invulnerable, there had to be something that caused it. Was it an enhancement from the collar? Couldn't be. Her Semblance? That certainly was cheating, but there had to be a drawback.

She darted around her opponent, dodging her every punch. Jacques may have thought he was clever by not giving her a weapon, but that rendered the Faunus unable to attack Ruby at range.

She'd just have to wait for a chance when her Semblance wore out.

**x.x.x**

Emerald fired her revolver at the girl who shattered like glass. Far too late did she notice the girl coming from the left and was kicked in her side and knocked a few feet away.

She staggered and cursed under her breath. It was proving to be a pain to use her own Semblance on the girl when she half the times weren't even there. Meanwhile Neo was projecting hallucinations like it was nobody's business.

"I'm starting to hate that little freak." She quickly looked around; aside from the cowering Schnee, Ruby, and the Faunus, there was nothing—

The creaking sound of wooden floor caught her attention. Without missing a beat, Emerald changed her weapons back into their kusarigama-modes and spun around. The chains flew outward and wrapped around the panicked girl.

"Got you!"

She used her Semblance; from Neo's perspective, there were suddenly multiple copies of Emerald all around her, keeping her chained. One after another they rushed her, every third of them landing as solid hit, be it behind her, above, the side, it didn't matter.

The girl was repeatedly beaten as Emerald punched, kicked, and pistol-whipped her. It wasn't her style nor was it pretty, but payback tasted ever so sweet.

It wasn't until the girl's Aura crackled and the thief struck a blow to the back of her head with the revolver that she untangled the girl and kicked away the umbrella. Out like a light.

"Illusions can be a pain, right?" She scoffed. "Not so cocky now, are you?"

Meanwhile, Ruby Semblance'd her way out of the Faunus' rampage. She leapt back before the Faunus had a chance to catch herself and propelled into her, tackling her opponent into the wall. The Faunus seemed unimpressed and grabbed the sniper by her sword-arm, her grip strong as a vice.

Ruby grunted and shoved the woman into the wall by pressing her free arm against her throat. She kicked her right leg, grabbed the Faunus by her collar, and hurled her onto the floor. At least she was freed from her grip.

Then it happened; the Faunus woman crackled a yellow glow, like an Aura, and suddenly she was acting like she was in pain as she scrambled to her feet. She charged at Ruby, quicker than anticipated, but Ruby dodged to the side in a flurry of petals and whacked the woman's temple with the crossguard and the Faunus teetered, though she quickly regained her footing despite herself. Blood trickled down the side and the officer's eyes widened. She threw herself at Ruby, aiming for her neck with sound of wrath.

Ruby dropped to a crouch. As the woman struck nothing but air overhead, Ruby reversed the grip of her weapon and, with her Semblance, sprung upwards and slammed the hilt into the Faunus' collar. The woman was sent flying backwards and landed a few feet away on her back where she remained motionless.

Ruby landed on her feet and straightened. She wiped her brow and glanced over at the cowering man. "It's over, Mr. Schnee. Surrender yourself peacefully—"

"Drop your weapons!" She turned towards the doorway as three Atlesian Knight-200s stormed inside the office, weapons trained on her and Emerald. By the doorway behind them stood a smaller male, a teenager with a nosy, unpleasant look as he shook like a leaf. "F-Father! Over here! You, Knights! Kill them!"

"Oh for the love of…" Ruby rolled her eyes and hurled herself forward at one AK-200 while Emerald took care of the other.

The thief used her kusarigama to ensnare the android by its "throat", pulling it towards her as she shot it in the chest with her free revolver. Ruby flew forward and crouched down, sliding on the floor as the android fired overhead, and sliced it in half from underneath. It wasn't until the third android was simultaneously disposed by Ruby and Emerald that it all broke loose.

Whitley was pushed onto the floor as Jacques ran past him. Multiple footsteps and several voices coming down the hallway indicated that the R.I.P backup had arrived and was apprehending Jacques. More Atlesian Knights stormed inside, likely a part of the security system. As Ruby and Emerald dispatched them, a newly awaken Faunus – with a broken collar now on the floor – rushed towards the younger Schnee and bit down on right shoulder, twisting his right arm in the process.

Ruby used her Semblance and tackled the Faunus away from the boy. The woman had shimmered again and grinned as she elbowed the sniper right in the abdomen as she ran out of the room.

"Ruby, are you alright?!" The thief was by her side in an instant. "You're not hurt are you?!"

"I'm fine, Emmy…" Ruby groaned. "I need to call an ambulance for the boy though!"

Emerald coldly peered over at the squirming boy and back at the sniper. "Ruby, I…I just wanted to say—"

"Scatter, you alright?" The voices from the other R.I.P agents were getting closer.

"Yeah, but we need a medic! We've got a bleeder!" she shouted back. "Emerald, you need to—" Save for the boy and Neo, the room was completely empty. "…get out of here…"

She sighed and fell onto her back as agents entered the room. Nolan was calling an ambulance while May attempted to stop the boy's bleeding. Reese was hovering over Ruby, worried sick.

She sighed again.

_`How will I tell Weiss about this…´_

* * *

That evening had been mentally straining. R.I.P backup had arrived to round up potential stragglers and the Atlesian police showed up as well, arresting several ruffians. Jacques was taken into R.I.P's custody, same with his right-hand-woman. The crocodile-Faunus got away before the police arrived and a warrant for her arrest has been issued. Whitley Schnee was taken to the hospital for critical treatment. Emerald had vanished into the night with whatever she was after in the first place.

It did not take long for journalists and the like to try finding out what happened. The scandal would be out by morning; about how Jacques Schnee, head of the SDC, was the mastermind behind the missing Faunus (and lesser degree human) kidnappings as well as trafficking. By the end of the day the whole of Remnant would know the full story.

Arthur Watts' Scroll had every detail about the Faunus trafficking operations; the income from selling off Faunus across Remnant was high and had served to line up Jacques' pockets. Missing workers in the Dust mines meant that more Faunus were forced to work there as replacements. Of course, humans as well had been victims of kidnappings and trafficking, sold off to whatever sick minds hung out on the Black Market, of which Cinder had many connections. Watts used some Faunus as test-subjects as well as helped with transportation of victims elsewhere. Torchwick had been the one arranging everything and performing the kidnappings in the first place as well as overseeing the trafficking. Jacques was the man overseeing them and held all the cash.

Ruby stayed with the Atlas-branch of R.I.P for the next few days. An investigation was instigated to scour the rest of the SDC, but there were no traces of Jacques' operations there. It was eventually concluded that Torchwick had been Jacques' man on the front and it branched off from him; people like Dr. Watts and Cinder Fall.

It wasn't until nearly a week later that Ruby had the courage to approach the Schnee manor. She had only been here once during a break from Beacon on her third year when the whole team had been invited over for a few days, taking advantage of the heiress' luxurious lifestyle.

It was uncanny to be here again under such different reasons and when she finally met with Weiss, her heart sank.

"So…How are you holding up?"

"The police and even a colleague of yours showed up immediately after father—" The fencer's lips tightened into a thin line. "After _that man_ had been taken into custody. I still can't believe it. I've always hated him, but I didn't think he was this rotten."

"Neither did I, but all evidence pointed to him." Ruby reluctantly looked her old teammate in the eyes. "How's your family taking it?"

"Mother is still in shock, but has assumed leadership of SDC for now. Winter is still trying to process it all and Whitley is still in the hospital. I haven't bothered to visit him," she responded with a huff and a scoff. "…I may have to take over after Mother soon enough. I have mixed feelings about it."

"Understandable. You wanted to uphold your family name as a Huntress after all," Ruby replied. "But I know you; you're a capable and strong woman. If you can handle evolved combat, you can handle a corporation." She offered a smile. "And you always said you wanted to change the SDC."

"I did, didn't I?" Weiss managed to return the smile, however small. "I suppose you are right. Mother can help guide me along without stressing herself out, but we'll see what happens. I've been thinking about joining the R.—" She paused, her words trailing off. She shook her head. "No, never mind. Anyway, Winter will remain within the military. She's been rather paranoid after what happened so I'm sure we'll hear from her if something shows up."

"That's good to know!" Ruby exclaimed and giggled. The two of them shared a laugh and for a moment it felt like they were back at Beacon. Simpler times. "…Look, Weiss. I'm sorry. I wish this didn't have to happen."

"In the long run I'll be a lot more thankful that you did what you did. Right now I just have to weather this storm and endure the smear of my family name." She smiled at Ruby. "I don't suppose you'd join me for a cup of coffee since you're here?"

"Actually, I came here to say goodbye while checking up on you," said Ruby. "It's been a long week and I'll have to sleep on the plane or else I won't make it home."

"That's a shame." The look on Weiss' face was painful before she forced a smile. "I suppose I have matters to attend to anyway. Maybe next time?"

"Of course." She hugged the fencer as tightly as she could. "Take care of yourself, Weiss."

"You too, Ruby."

* * *

The return-trip had been over in a flash; catching some sleep had helped with that. The sun was setting by the time Ruby arrived home, colouring the sky a beautiful crimson gold. She scrambled with her keys until she managed to unlock the door and stepped inside; the place needed a good clean and the air was musty from now three weeks' worth of neglect.

She stopped in her tracks. A low light illuminated from the living-room and a sweet scent filled her nostrils. It was a familiar scent. Ruby's heart jumped a little as she hurriedly rounded the doorway-

"Hello, Ruby." Crimsons eyes, apologetically sincere, met the agent's wide silver ones. The Lady-Thief got up from the sofa with her hands up in a placating manner; she was unarmed. "Fancy meeting you here," she joked.

"Yeah…" Ruby giggled. Her heart was racing beneath her breast. "…Why are you here? Actually, how did you even get inside?"

"Window," the mocha-skinned beauty plainly stated. "I know my way around locks, you know. As for why I'm here…I guess, first of all, it's to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"I was in a dire situation, not gonna lie. I was certain that I had messed up badly and you bailed me out. I'm sorry that I left so suddenly."

"Oh." Ruby's cheeks flushed a rosy-pink as she awkwardly cast her gaze downwards. "There's no need to thank me. I couldn't let you get hurt. I'd do it again without question."

"Why would an officer of R.I.P care whether an outlaw like me got hurt or not?"

"You're more than just-!" She bit her bottom-lip. "…**I** care."

"Yeah, you do." Emerald took a step closer. "As do I; I was really worried back there."

Ruby gulped. "I'm sorry."

"Me too. I didn't mean to make you worry about me." She paused for a moment as her words trailed off. Her expression was sheer vulnerability. "I'm sorry for messing up with your investigation earlier. With Torchwick, I mean."

"I'm sure you had your reasons," Ruby replied. "We managed to piece it together in the end. Don't worry about it."

"…Like I said, it was personal." Emerald crossed her arms over her chest. She looked somber as she dug her nails into her arm. "I wasn't born into the Sustrai family, you know."

The confession had the redhead taken aback. Her mind whirled from the implications and when it finally hit her it struck like a knife through the heart. "You were a victim of trafficking."

"Lost my real parents in the process," the thief said. "We lived in the slums, but we were happy. He was young, but I recognized the man when I found him again. I never forgot the name. I managed to escape eventually as I unlocked my Semblance by pure chance, but I was just a child lost in the underground world with no family. Until the Sustrai family took me in and cared for me as one of their own and taught me everything. I've always hated people like Torchwick as a result and the kingdoms for allowing it to happen – I've hated the authorities like R.I.P and I still do…" Her expression changed. It was soft, warm, and honest-to-god heart-melting. "And then _you_ show up; the prodigy who showed more care for the less fortunate than the entire kingdoms combined. Somewhere along the way you managed to be quite the thief yourself."

"I did…?" Ruby asked. Her guest snickered.

"I can't be the only one whose heart goes crazy whenever we meet, right?"

It dawned on her. A smiled tugged the corners of Ruby's lips. She reverted back to her old Beacon-academy days when she had a silyl crush. But this wasn't a crush; it was Emerald Sustrai; her frenemy, her love-interest, her…world, really.

"So…What I feel about you…That's mutual?"

The thief took another step forward. "I would say so," Emerald replied.

"Romantically?"

"I wouldn't go through all of this if feelings weren't strongly involved. I've come to greatly care about you, Ruby."

Ruby flashed a sheepish, sexy smile. "Sexually?"

"Oh God yes. Have you any idea how many pairs of panties I've bought since we met?"

She giggled and gasped when she realized just how close they were. With Emerald just an inch or two taller, Ruby's eyes flickered down to her lips, then her eyes, then down again. She was so close, but something gnawed at her.

"Emerald…I think you should know that I'm not…like you – like women." Her voice cracked. "I'm…"

"A hermaphrodite. I know." The thief's hand gently caressed the officer's cheek. "I'm fully aware of what you're packing down there. I am equally impressed and tempted."

"H-How did you—"

She flashed Ruby a lopsided grin and winked. "I had to gather intel on my rival, you know."

"You spied—" Ruby stared at her in shock, but quickly burst into laughter; she should've been upset at the thought, but she curiously wasn't. "You are the worst!"

"The absolute worst rogue this side of Remnant." She chuckled, her eyes smouldering with want as she let out a husky breath. "Now, we've both danced around this long enough. Can I finally kiss you or am I gonna have to suffer a major relapse?"

A hand grabbed the thief by the back of her head, buried in minty-green tresses. She was pulled close, a needy, throaty cry upon Ruby's lips as they crashed against Emerald's as she hugged the smaller girl.

It burned, fiercely passionate and desperate; the kind of kiss that fuels you and leaves you aching for more like it's your lifeblood. It was the kiss that conveyed so much raw emotions and had been long overdue for what felt like years.

The game of cat and mouse ended tonight. Now it was time to give and take in abundance.

* * *

The clumsy waltz from living-room to the bedroom had been nothing but. A lamp had been knocked over as well as a chair. Footwear had been clumsily kicked off somewhere and hands fumbled all over to remove the rest of clothing. Ruby's skirt fell and pooled around her ankles before she kicked it away and worked on Emerald's brown chaps and white pants.

The thief slowly undid the overbust corset as she copped a feel of the officer's butt – a beautiful combination of firmness from years of training and softness from her sweet tooth habits – through the black and red-thrilled panties.

Ruby moaned into their kiss as she pulled down the chaps as far as she could before Emerald had to use her feet to drag them down and let them pool around her ankles.

She groaned and reluctantly pulled away. "Ten second break to get rid of the fricking clothes?"

"Five," Emerald hissed and hurriedly pulled off her pants, revealing her creamy-white panties. She hurriedly undid her top and tossed it to the floor, same with the crop top. She kept glancing over at Ruby and the impressive bulge in her underwear as she equally hurriedly undid her corset and let it fall as she unbuttoned her cotton blouse.

As Ruby unbuttoned it fully, her modest black-and-red bra-breasts spilling out with a slight jiggle, the two locked eyes. The tension between them ignited. Pupils dilated with lust; their gazes roamed over the semi-naked bodies, taking in every inch of mocha-skinned and creamy-pale skin; feminine curves and agile strength, abs and hips.

They threw themselves at each other with another heated kiss. Their bodies, hindered only by underwear, pressed against each other as hands roamed feverishly over expanses of warm, naked skin.

Their tongues danced, snaking past each other and coiling inside oral caverns. It was a wild tango that conveyed raw hunger and the desire bring nothing but unbridled pleasure.

Ruby clung onto Emerald's back, enjoying the toned, athletically-built body down to the focal point of her fantasies; sliding underneath the hem of the thief's panties, Ruby was feeling up Emerald's ass and grabbed full globes of dark complexion with a deeply satisfied moan. It was everything she had hoped for and so much more and she was only cupping it.

Emerald gasped into Ruby's mouth and snickered. The officer was playing with her rear and Ruby's cock was pressed against her swollen bundle of nerves through their underwear. A new bolt of heat rushed straight down between her legs as she slowly grinded against the redhead's baton and shuddered pleasantly. She unhooked the bra-strap behind Ruby's back and the latter's breasts pressed against hers. They felt so soft against her—

She pulled away and the officer whined, but Emerald crouched down an inch and cupped marvellous malleable mounds. Ruby giggled and gasped when nimble fingers brushed against and toyed with twin peaks while the thief took one into her mouth.

Ruby buried a hand in mint-green tresses. "Oh, Emmy…I love you," she uttered and just like that, time seemed to come to a halt. "I love you so much…!"

Crimson eyes met her silver ones. "I never thought I would ever get to hear you say that…I love you too." She smiled at her: genuine, heart-warming. Her eyes were watery. "I love you so much…! I never thought this could…" She paused and shook her head. She didn't say anything else; instead she swirled her tongue over Ruby's nipple whilst playing with its twin.

"Gods, Emmy…!" She threw her head back with a drawn-out moan. "B-Bed… Bed!"

Emerald stopped and led them to the officer's bed. What she didn't expect was to be pushed onto her back as Ruby stood before her, her blouse sliding off down to the floor, leaving her in nothing but panties and thigh-high black stockings.

Ruby bit her bottom lip and crouched down on all fours, her head perfectly levelled with the bed and the thief's heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

She didn't dare to move or even utter a single word. The few seconds it took for the sniper to cross the short distance felt like hours and Emerald's anticipation was killing her; she was sweating and her heart was racing. Het accumulated between her thighs and stained her panties, and the redhead looked mighty pleased, if not enthralled.

The officer leant in close and inhaled the musky scent. She softly moaned and snuck her fingers underneath the waistband of the Lady-Thief's panties and slowly pulled them down. Her eyes flared up. Surrounded by dark complexion was a dripping wet, pretty pink flower, puffy lips flushed with arousal. Atop her slit and underneath a small triangle of minty-green curls was a beautiful, engorged clit that begged for attention.

She pressed her face against Emerald's core. She deeply inhaled the mingled scents – musky arousal, sweat, and fruity soap – and shuddered to the point she might've creamed her panties right then and there. Ruby lapped at Emerald's core and drank in her zesty nectar, paying sweet tribute to the thief's clit all the while she shifted from between sucking and pulling on those lips.

Emerald hissed and her body tensed and trembled sporadically. Her eyes flickered and nearly rolled back into their sockets. How long had she had sex with other women before she met Ruby? How long had she let her fingers satisfy her in Ruby's place?

This was something else. This was better than any daydream. Every swipe of that eager tongue drove Emerald crazy and she was already at her breaking point. And this was only foreplay! If this was mind-blowing—

She groaned and shrieked and thrashed. Her aching clit was suckled and she bucked and gripped Ruby's head between her thighs as her whole body tensed. Euphoria rushed through her and Emerald screamed as she came. _Hard._ Over and over. At the end of it, the thief's voice was raspy and Ruby's face was a sticky mess as the latter finally could pull away. The officer was in a complete daze, her mouth hanging open and tongue lolling out.

"That…" Emerald gulped. "Oh my fucking lord, Ruby…"

"I don't think our daydreams did this any justice," she managed to joke. "Holy…"

"Your turn." The thief smirked at her despite her own tiredness and patted the spot next to her. "Sit down and enjoy yourself."

Ruby didn't need to be told twice. Knowing full well what was to come, she hurriedly sat down and spread her legs.

Emerald chuckled, her core quivering in anticipation. The bulge underneath the officer's panties was bigger now and she licked her lips like a wolf watching a lamb. Grabbing the waistband, she slowly pulled down Ruby's underwear until her member – all 7.75 inches – sprung free and rested against her face and two things occurred to the thief;

Ruby was clean-shaven.

And Ruby's cock was even more impressive than she had thought it to be.

"Oh my." The thief eyed with her uncovered eye. "It's so much bigger up-close…"

"D-Does it disgusts you?"

"Never." Emerald inhaled its strong odour. The smell was all but overpowering. "Never." She stuck out her tongue and licked at the officer's oval-shaped balls and the redhead softly moaned. She suckled them one at a time, swirled her tongue around them like she was worshiping Ruby's genitals while said cock was throbbing on her face. She gave them a thorough tongue-bath as the officer enjoyed herself and she cupped them—

"Ah! W-Wait, Emerald—"

"What's this then?" Beneath the large sack was a feminine genital. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"I-It's weird, isn't it?" Her voice was shaky. Poor thing.

The thief smirked at her. "Not at all," she said, tongue darting out to lick the redhead's core, causing said officer to clutch the sheet. Emerald mimicked what Ruby had done for her, enjoying how easily it was for her to cum that way, before she returned to kiss her testicles. She worked her way up, dragging her tongue along the underside of Ruby's cock until she reached its mushroom-head. She swirled her tongue around it, took it into her mouth, and suckled on it.

Easier said than done, Emerald found out; it strained inside her orifice and it took great effort to manage more of it inside as she bobbed her head up and down Ruby's length. The sniper continuously moaned and bucked her hips, desperate to feel as much as possible. The thief hummed, content, as she slipped a hand down and dipped inside velvet heat. This would soon be inside of her, just like in her fantasies and impatience was getting to her.

She took another inch inside of her mouth and applied suction, slobbering over Ruby's baton as pre-cum and saliva pooled inside her mouth. She sped up to Ruby's enjoyment, but she didn't want the officer to reach her peak just yet; she wanted Ruby to take her, pound away with reckless abandon—

Emerald pulled away with a gasp for air and gawked at the pulsating rigid rod in front of her. She met Ruby's needy gaze and they both knew that they were both at their limits.

"Scoot up," Emerald commanded. Ruby did as told, her dick bouncing from the movement. The officer bit her lower lip and the thief crawled onto the bed. They didn't tear away their gazes as Emerald lifted a leg and straddled the officer, her rear perfectly aligned against Ruby's member.

They regarded each other with sheer lust and affection; a nervous smile in one second, a naughty, predatory smirk in the next. They were anxious and horny as they were but a moment away from truly fulfilling their deepest desires from a long span of cat and mouse, but it would end tonight.

Emerald smiled a wicked, toothy grin and raised her hips – and Ruby gripped her cock by the base, keeping it still – and slammed her hips down on the massive length until it was fully sheathed inside of her.

They both groaned and moaned. They didn't move; they savoured the moment and simply enjoyed the feeling of being _connected._

"Finally…" Ruby whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "Oh gods, finally…!"

"Yeah." Emerald leant down and claimed the redhead's lips. A hand grabbed the back of her head, pulled her closer as they melted into the kiss. "At long last, my dear."

"It feels so good inside of you, Emmy…" Ruby uttered. And she wasn't lying; Emerald was incredibly tight and soft, like a vice grip of velvety, wet heat that clamped down around her lengthy member.

"And you feel good inside of me," the thief replied with a raspy chuckle. She didn't warn Ruby when she started moving; she rolled her hips as the two let out long strings of moans. She began to bounce over the sniper's lap, riding the officer cowgirl style in a slowly faster rhythm.

They trembled with pleasure. Ruby raised her hips to match with Emerald's and fully sheathed herself inside the dark-skinned woman with each thrust. The bed creaked with their movements and the sound of flesh slapping flesh loudly reverberated through the room and the lovers moaned and cried out in pleasure.

"Oh gods, Ruby!" Emerald slammed her hips, her voice rising in octaves. "Oh gods! Oh gods!"

"They have nothing to do with this!" Ruby called out. She would've laughed, but heavens above it felt _so good!_ She was hilting her cock inside a cocoon of moist silk. Emerald's inside were beyond her imaginations and like a horny beast, the redhead bucked like crazy.

"You're reaching so deeep~!" The thief threw her head back with a cry of ecstasy upon her lips. "Fuck me, why didn't we do this a lot sooner?! I should've pinned you down the day I first met you!"

"I would've fucked you if you didn't slip away with that OP Semblance of yours!" Ruby shouted back, her muscles tensing up as she hammered up into the thief's tight, wet pussy. Her hands itched for actions and she reached around to cup full globes of Emerald's perfect butt. She pinched it and the rogue above her tightened around her cock. She squeezed it, kneaded it, and worshiped it with her hands as it bounced in her lap.

But it wasn't enough. With the way the mint-green-haired woman was leaning over her, dark mounds capped with dusky peaks jiggling in front of the officer, Ruby greedily took on into her mouth as she pumped in and out of the mocha-skinned beauty above her who hissed approvingly.

"Oh, Ruby, you dirty little minx," Emerald whispered. Her upper body collapsed and she met the redhead's gaze, smirking. "Hey."

"Hey." She giggled. Emerald claimed her lips in a fierce, sloppy kiss; the thief licked and kissed all around Ruby's lips as she reached fever-pitch in ecstasy. As their lips finally locked their tongues danced the oral tango, coiling and writhing wildly.

They lost themselves completely in the fires of their own lust, ignoring the world around them. There was no Remnant, no laws or sides; there was only them in this very moment where their bodies were heated and sweaty, their genitals joined together.

The bedsprings flexed and Ruby increased her pace, as did Emerald. The flexing of the bedsprings increased as well as the thief rode the agent like a bucking bronco, her cervix kissing the tip of the sniper's manhood as it was pumped into her like an engine piston. They were both like in a trance and copulated like crazy.

Emerald shuddered as she reached her umpteenth climax, her feminine channel contracting and clamping down on Ruby's rigid rod. It throbbed inside of her, pummelling against her sweet-spot and wrecking her pleasure-receptors into oblivion. Ruby was similar, but she had yet to cum – and cum she would. The thief redoubled her efforts and rode the officer like possessed…and then she stopped.

"W-What…?" The redhead looked so adorable when she was puzzled. "E-Em?"

Emerald merely flashed a grin and reluctantly got off of the officer. She crawled away on all four and Ruby's eyes immediately widened as the thief glanced over her shoulder and swatted her butt. "I've always imagined you'd take me like this. Enjoying the view?"

The agent's mouth watered at the sight. "Oh, Emmy!"

She was behind the thief in a heartbeat. She had the perfect heart-shaped ass facing her and a tight pussy perfectly levelled with her cock. It was a no-brainer.

Ruby slapped Emerald's ass, enjoying the feel of it beneath her hands as the rogue hummed approvingly. They shuddered and huskily moaned as their sexes touched, sending little jolts throughout their bodies.

And then she obscenely spread flushed lips and sunk back inside velvety heat – tight, wet, heat.

Their muscles tensed. Their hearts raced beneath their breasts.

It started slow; Emerald shook her ass and Ruby pulled back until only the mushroom-head was inside…and sheathed all inches back inside. She repeated the motion, slowly increasing her pace until they picked up from where they had left off and copulated like horny beasts.

The bed rocked back and forth. Ruby's balls slapped against Emerald's engorged clit with each thrust and the pair swore and moaned in long, continuous strings as pleasure raked at them. Their sensitive parts resonated with slick sounds of flesh against flesh and sent shivers up their spines as their wild rutting reached a fever-pitch.

Ruby slammed into Emerald as she fucked her from behind like a dog. Her cock strained inside the thief's pussy, hitting her cervix as inner walls massaged her length. She threw her head back and howled for anyone to hear; Emerald's name, the higher powers, obscenities, and animalistic expression of the pleasure that churned inside her manhood.

"Oh fuck, Emmy!" She shouted, her voice raspy and needy. "You feel so good!"

"Ruby! Ruby! Oh gods, don't stop!" Emerald was a quivering mess. Her sopping core was taking a wild, reckless pounding and she absolutely loved it! Strength seeped from her limbs and her eyes nearly rolled back into their sockets again. Ruby's dick was filling her up, throbbing and thrashing inside like a piston. Her bones were rendered into pliant, hot goo from the assault on her pleasure-centre in her brain and she swore she was starting to hallucinate from her own Semblance. Was that even possible? Who cared when she was getting fucked by the prodigy of R.I.P!

And just when she thought this euphoria couldn't get any higher, the officer spanked full curves and the thief cried out from the pain-pleasure. Ruby slapped Emerald's bouncing backside, cupped it and gripped curvy hips as she sheathed herself repeatedly inside the Illusionist. She was finally living the dream of having full, unbridled access to the Lady-Thief's ass and she took full advantage of it; wetting her thumb, Ruby prodded a puckered, hidden star, teased the small ring of muscle, and rubbed Emerald's dark, perfect pucker.

Emerald bit down on the sheet, her arms having given up. She was face down the bed and ass up taking the sniper's baton as she saw stars and screamed into bed.

Pleasure spread from neuron to neuron. The bed threatened to break underneath them and bedsprings flexed like crazy at an increasing pace.

The pair's bodies were hot like fire, covered in sheen of sweat as they burned time away without a care. Emerald was reaching smaller, frequent orgasms as her sanity was slowly chipped away from rapid thrusts and sharp spanking.

Ruby was leaking pre-cum inside the thief's fertile channel as she pounded away, her cock churning from pent up pleasure as she hit that sweet-spot. Her mind raced and her Semblance kicked in, her hips a rosy blur as she hammered away into that last stretch until her vision became a multi-coloured mess.

Their world shattered around them. Emerald screamed to the heavens Ruby's name as built-up pressure gave in and blinding hot pleasure flickered before her eyes and wrecked her body like a roaring tide, rolling back and crashed over her again…and again…and again. It surged through her joints and down to her core just as Ruby's balls slapped against her engorged clit, wet heat trickling down the thief's thighs and staining the bed.

Ruby slapped down onto Emerald's perfect ass as she proclaimed her love for her, fully hilted inside an unprotected pussy; her cock thrashed and jerked against silky-smooth inner walls, frothing from the prick as it erupted, gushing its hot milk in one…two…three thick, long, copious ropes as she milked herself inside Emerald's pussy, depositing as much cum as possible before the sniper pulled out.

Still thrashing violently and churning with pleasure, Ruby grabbed her cock by the base and swiftly jerked herself into a prolonged orgasm, spraying her milky-white cum onto Emeralds dark, heart-shaped rear in long, white arcs, including over her puckered star, creating a wonderful contrast of dark skin and white cum.

"Oh…fuck…" they uttered huskily. "Fuck…"

"Ruby…" Emerald glanced back and wiggled her rear. She let out a tired snicker as the redhead inspected her handiwork and slapped her cock against the mocha-toned ass, smearing her creamy discharge over Emerald's wiggly butt as it still frothed at the tip.

"Oh fuck…Emerald…" the officer managed. "That…was…"

She fell onto her back, cock slowly going flaccid. Emerald finally slumped entirely on the bed shortly after, the mess forgotten as fatigue finally caught up with them.

* * *

Waking up from a good night's sleep was different this time around, Ruby noted; for one she had not had a wet dream like usual and there certainly was no need for it with Emerald Sustrai lying next to her. Second, _Emerald Sustrai_ was lying next to her. The thief smelled like flowers – probably the shampoo – and something the agent couldn't put her finger on. But it was Emerald's scent. She liked it. She pressed herself against the thief's bosom and deeply inhaled.

"Someone is eager." Ruby giggled and let those toned mocha-skinned arms hug her closer. A hand played with her dark tresses. "I like an early riser. And I don't just mean your second weapon."

"What can I say?" Ruby replied. "I finally have you in my arms. I've been dreaming about this for a long time."

"My sentiments exactly." Emerald pressed her lips against the agent's forehead. "To think that I would end up with the person I've yearned for seems surreal to me still, but I won't question it." There was a pause. The thief tensed for a moment, gaze drifting absentmindedly, and she sighed. "However, I'm afraid I need to leave for now."

"What?" Ruby propped up on her arm, her eyes wide with worry. "No!"

"I have to, Ruby. This was wonderful, but we are still on the opposite ends of the Law. I have my duty just like you have yours." She kissed the sniper, passionately and with a promise. "This isn't a goodbye or anything. We'll see each other soon."

Ruby pouted and it was far too adorable to be intimidating or upsetting. "How soon?"

"Soon," she replied. "I wouldn't want to leave my lover alone for too long after all."

That cheered the agent up. "Lovers…Mm. I'll hold you to it, then. A kiss before you go?"

"As many as you want," Emerald told her and leant back in, hovering just above Ruby's lips for a second before pressing herself against Ruby's as tenderly as possible.

**x.x.x**

Ruby didn't remember the Vale R.I.P HQ to be so dull and dreary. She loved her job, but the sweet memories of last night – and this morning – made everything pale in comparison. _The_ Mirage-Mistress had confessed to her and they were officially an unofficial couple.

_`Lovers,´_ the sniper thought, and shuddered pleasantly. It still felt like a dream.

"Miss Rose, I'd appreciate if you finished your report instead of daydreaming," Arslan stated as she walked by. Even the gorgeous drill-sergeant with her firm ass didn't affect Ruby as much after last night's events and the redhead groaned affirmatively. The report would take a while to finish.

Dreading to start typing on the keyboard, her scroll suddenly emitted a happy tune. Making sure the sergeant was gone, Ruby fished it up. Her heart jumped. She was giddy, eyes wide and lips curled into a broad smile.

_My dear Rosy Sleuth_

_It pains me that I had to leave and I wish I could say that you alone had my attention. Alas, there are certain matters that require it too. I'm certain we will cross paths on the job regardless, so fret not!_

_However, I merely wished to let you know that I appreciate you – everything you have done – for who you are and what you stand for. I was certain my feelings for you, an agent of R.I.P, would go unanswered. The fact that you harboured feelings for someone like me is still something I'm trying to come to terms with, but I guess what I'm trying to say is…Thank you. Sincerely. I don't feel that I deserve any of this, but I couldn't be happier that things turned out the way they did._

_I care about you, Ruby Rose – I love you. I wish I could write entire paragraphs about it, but it all comes down to those few words. I can't wait for our next encounter._

_Love_

_S._

"`Sustrai´…" The crimsonette smiled. "Aw, Emmy…"

_P.S_

_Be sure to finish that report or you might miss out~_

Ruby scoffed. "Cheeky. I'll show you."

Words were typed out faster than on the report as Ruby snickered to herself.

With the text sent, Ruby leant back against the chair and smiled up at the ceiling.

—_**Fin—**_

_A/N: Yes, I know, I can't write fight-scenes. Heh. Oh, and if you're curious, the form of Ruby's sword is essentially Sparda from DMC. But without the fleshy things._


End file.
